Gunmen shoot NOUN bursar dead in Zamfara

The Bursar of the National Open University of Nigeria, Nasiru Marafa, has reportedly been shot dead in Gusau, the Zamfara State capital.

The university disclosed this in an official notice signed by its Registrar and Secretary to Council, Oladipo Ajayi, on Sunday.

Ajayi stated that Marafa was reportedly shot while returning from Gusau, although the university did not provide further details about the circumstances surrounding the incident.

“Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un,” the university stated in announcing the death of the bursar.

The statement read, “The Vice-Chancellor, on behalf of the Governing Council, Management, Senate, Staff and Students of the National Open University of Nigeria, regrets to announce the sudden and untimely passing of the University Bursar, Mallam Nasiru Gusau Marafa, which occurred today, Sunday, 6th September 2026.”

The university described Marafa as a “dedicated and committed staff member” who served the institution meritoriously and held various positions of responsibility during his career.

It said he was appointed Bursar of NOUN in September 2022 and assumed the position with “a strong sense of duty and commitment to the advancement of the University.”

The statement added, “The entire University community mourns the passing of a distinguished colleague, dedicated administrator and valued member of the NOUN family.”

The institution extended its condolences to his immediate family, relatives, friends, colleagues and others mourning his death.

The statement said further information on the burial arrangements would be communicated after details were released by the family.

The university prayed that Allah would forgive his shortcomings, grant him Al-Jannah Firdaus and give his family, friends, colleagues and the entire university community the strength to bear the loss.

Efforts to get the reaction of the Zamfara State Police Public Relations Officer, Abubakar Yazid, proved abortive, as his line was unreachable at the time of filing this report.

PUNCH Metro reported in June that grief and sorrow enveloped the campus of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, after armed robbers reportedly shot dead a 100-level student of the Department of Arts and Social Science Education of the university.

The incident had forced the management of the school to declare a lecture-free day to mourn the sudden demise of the student while also commiserating with the student body and the family of the deceased over the irreplaceable loss.